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This year’s Pearson Cite 2014 award recipients are employed at SUNY Oneonta, Lamar University, Park University, and SUNY Buffalo State. The awards are divided into two categories — Excellence in Online Administration and Excellence in Online Teaching — to honor educators who make significant contributions to online education. As part of Pearson’s efforts to inspire and support excellence in online higher education that drives student success, Pearson will donate $1,500 to the scholarship fund of each winner’s choice. Pearson Cite brings together more than 500 higher education online learning program executives, faculty and administrators to share in the discussion and exchange of information on innovative learning strategies across a broad range of education programs in the online environment.

Dr. Jennifer Bueche is an Associate Professor and Director of the M.S. – Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Program, which she also helped build at the institution. The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), the premier accrediting organization for the discipline, called Dr. Bueche’s program a “great program” and described Dr. Bueche as “a fantastic director and an innovative and masterful leader.” Her program has improved access to MS-DIs by expanding opportunities and reducing barriers for students nationwide. Dr. Bueche will donate her $1,500 scholarship to the M.S. – Nutrition and Dietetics Program Fund.

Dr. Kaye Shelton is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Lamar University. Dr. Shelton is highly active in promoting excellence in online education globally, and she is a prolific scholar contributing to the evaluation of quality online education. She is the author of “An Administrator’s Guide to Online Education,” and the “Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Programs,” an award-winning tool for quality evaluation. Her research has been honored by Phi Delta Kappan, the National Council of Professors of Educational Leadership’s prestigious, Edgar Morphet award, and most recently, the Sloan Consortium John R. Bourne award for Outstanding Achievement in Online Education. Dr. Shelton is donating her $1,500 scholarship to the Center for Doctoral Studies Fund at Lamar University.

Dr. Henry Roehrich is an Assistant Professor of Marketing/Management and Online Instructor Evaluator at Park University. The online program at Park University employs an estimated 400 online adjunct instructors. As an online instructor evaluator, Dr. Roehrich prepares and submits annual online observations for adjunct faculty members teaching for Park Distance Learning. The Faculty Online Observation enhances personal course facilitation and is a key factor for instructor scheduling. The evaluation team was nationally recognized as a recipient of the Association of Continued Higher Education “2011 Creative Use of Technology Award.” Dr. Roehrich has taught 38 different online courses and has published work on topics related to online education. Dr. Roehrich is donating his $1,500 scholarship to displaced adult learners with family responsibilities.

Dr. John Thompson is an Associate Professor Emeritus in the Computer Information Systems Department at SUNY Buffalo State. Dr. Thompson teaches all of his courses 100 percent online, and has taught well over 100 online courses. In 2000, Dr. Thompson was one of the very first online instructors at SUNY Buffalo State. He served on the first campus-wide online learning committee, charged with recommending policies, procedures, and future directions for online learning at the college. He has delivered numerous presentations and conducted workshops to assist faculty with their online courses. Dr. Thompson is donating his $1,500 scholarship to the School of the Professions Dean’s Scholarship Fund.

Pearson’s SVP of Online Learning Services, Todd Hitchcock, said, “There are now millions of students taking online courses in the U.S. This growth is driven not only by quality programs, but more importantly by the faculty and administrators behind them. We are proud to have the opportunity to work with these innovative thought leaders and congratulate them for their excellence in online administration and teaching, and we hope that these scholarships help to increase student success."

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